“Those gentlemen would hardly think me entitled to the courtesy of a bullet,” he went on with the utmost sang-froid. “A rope is more in accordance with my expectations if I am caught. But I do not expect to be caught. Really, little madam, the frank and open plan is the best. If I were to visit you clandestinely it would create more suspicion. Don’t you see the fact that you haven’t presented me to those gentlemen is in itself suspicious? Call those officers up and do the honors.”
“I will call Captain Hosmer,” I said faintly. “I really haven’t the nerve to summon the other two.—Captain Hosmer!” I called.
He came instantly, and I saw that he was glad to be called.
“Captain Hosmer, let me introduce you to my friend, Mr. Moore.”
“Mr. Moore” rose, and the two gentlemen bowed and shook hands with each other. Then they sat down, the Federal captain on one side of me, the rebel captain on the other, and we had a pleasant chat. Captain Hosmer asked “Mr. Moore” if he was related to Henry P. Moore, of New York, and “Mr. Moore” replied in the affirmative. Captain Hosmer knew this gentleman very well. Captain Locke was introduced to Major Brooks and Colonel Whipple, and it ended by Captain Locke and Schenck’s adjutant walking down the street together. Captain Hosmer and I watched them from the window as they strolled past, smoking their cigars.
“Your friend is a very handsome man,” he said.
“You think so? Dan is ever so much handsomer.”
“No doubt of it,” he laughed.
The next day I said to Captain Locke: “You—you wouldn’t have to use information received from these gentlemen in any way that might ever hurt them, would you? We wouldn’t have to do that, would we?”
“Dear little madam, it is not probable that they will honor me with too much confidence. No hurt could ever come to one who is kind to you through me. My first duty is to the South; so is yours. But honor between man and man is honor, and friendship is friendship, even in war times. In my life it has sometimes been very hard to know the line.”