CHAPTER X.
A DANGEROUS MISSION.
In the progress of the present story we have now come to some of those strange, startling, and almost incredible events which prove the truth of the old proverb, “Truth is stranger than Fiction,” and which could occur only in those times when the foundations of society are shaken by martial upheavals and commotions.
We stop at a small farm-house a few miles from Manassas, and not far from the residence of Dr. Arrington. It is in the afternoon of a beautiful day. We open the door of one room of the little farm-house, and find ourselves in the presence of two Confederate officers, of high rank, who are engaged in an earnest conversation. Both have long since passed into history, and are inseparably connected with the “Great Rebellion.” The whole history of any war is, in fact, comprised in the biographies of a few individuals. The lives of Lee, Grant, Jackson, Sherman, and a few others that could be readily named, cover the entire field of the War of Secession.
It is not essential to our story that we should give the names of the two Generals to whom reference has just been made. For reasons which are clear to the author, it is deemed advisable to leave our reader the pleasure of identifying them, if he can. Merely for the sake of convenience we will designate one as General A. and the other as General B. As we stand in one corner of the room, eaves-dropping, as is the privilege of the Novelist, we hear the following colloquy:
“It will require a peculiar person for the business,” said Gen. A. in a rather low tone. “It must be a woman—and a woman of intelligence, discretion and courage.”
“I know just such a one,” replied Gen. B., “but I should dislike to ask her to run the risk that must be incurred.”