upon this interesting theme, I asked the colonel when he desired me to start. He said by the first train, if I could get ready; and handing me my confidential letter and two hundred dollars, he asked whether there was anything more he could do for me.
I said that I could think of nothing, but would proceed to get ready for my journey immediately. He then shook hands and left, after wishing me a pleasant trip, and expressing a hope that he would soon receive a good report from me.
When the colonel was gone, I went up to my room to pack my travelling satchel; and feeling perfectly satisfied from my late conversation with him that I was safe for the present so far as he was concerned, I laughed heartily at the absurdity of the situation, and wondered with myself whether I would have dared to attempt anything of this kind at Richmond with old General Winder. I had no difficulty in concluding that if fate had compelled me to play tricks with Winder, as I was doing with Baker, I would have been forced to proceed in a less open and free and easy style about it, and congratulated myself most heartily that I had so easy a customer to deal with under existing circumstances.
Calling a carriage, I was soon at the Baltimore depot, and on board the train. Having to stop at the Relay House for the western bound train, I made an effort to see the Confederate agent who was stationed there, as I had a number of things I wanted to say to him. He was an old Southern acquaintance of mine, and there were a variety of little matters that I could have whispered in his ear that would have been useful, and, at the same time, that I would not have cared to confide to every agent with whom I happened to come in contact. There is a good deal in knowing who one's friends really are in trans acting such delicate business as that I was then engaged in. Unfortunately, my friend was away; and as I was in too much of a hurry to wait for his return, I was forced to forego the pleasure of seeing him.
Westward Ho!
Once on board the Western train, I had a long journey before me, and had plenty of time to think over affairs generally. I planned and schemed until my brain fairly whirled, and I was glad to chat a little with some of my neighbors, or to gaze through the car windows at the gorgeous scenery that
