Page:The woman in battle .djvu/476

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CONGRATULATIONS.


with regard to my real movements, and had half a dozen questions on the end of my tongue which I wanted to ask him. I concluded, however, that this would be going rather too far, and would do no good, while it might have the effect of exciting suspicions where none at present existed. I did, how ever, venture to inquire whether he had told any one that I was attached to the corps.

"No, no," he replied, "certainly not, and I don't want you to tell any one either. If I employ you for anything, it will be for strictly confidential business, which must be between our selves. I would rather that even my own people should not know anything about you as a secret-service agent."

Having finished our business talk, I asked for my friends General A. and Captain B., and was informed that the captain was in the field, but that the general was in the city, and would doubtless be glad to see me.

On reaching the Kirkwood House, where I had taken a room, I sent my card to the general at Willard's Hotel, and he came immediately to see me. While we were chatting, in came Baker, who, I judged by his manner, had something which he wanted to say to me, and surmised that it was a consent that I should visit the prisoners.

"Ah, general," said he, "I see that you are bound to continue your attentions to our little friend here. She hasn't been in Washington many hours, and you have found her out already. I guess, however, that she likes me better than she does you, for she came to see me as soon as she arrived."

The general looked a trifle surprised at this, and said, "Why, Baker, you must be getting to be a lady's man! I didn't know that you were particularly inclined that way."

Baker laughed at this, and said, " She is a first-rate little woman, and I wish there were more like her. She has just made a very successful trip to Richmond, and has brought me some important items."

"Is that so?" said the general. "Why, I did not know that she belonged to your corps."

"Neither does she in a regular way; but as she knew a good deal about Richmond, and was acquainted with a number of people there, I thought I would let her make a trip, especially as she was extremely anxious to try her luck."

The general congratulated me on my success, and then proposed that we should all three go that evening to Ford's Theatre. Baker assented, and I was quite willing, as I