hose who will do his bidding. So look
out, Mr. President; my judgment is that you will be in imminent peril.'

"'Yes,' said the President. 'Gen. Silent do you remember the dream I
repeated to you when you came to Washington?'

"'Oh, yes,' said Gen. Silent, 'perfectly; and in that dream I was to
be murdered as soon as the rebellion should be ended. But I do not
feel alarmed about myself; dreams, you know, Mr. President, go by
contraries.'

"'Yes,' said the President, 'I will not say that I believe in dreams,
neither do I; yet they make an impression on my mind.'

"Gen. Silent said no more on the subject, and the conversation on that
topic was dropped.

"'I was asked if I would send Henry back to Canada to watch further
developments. I assented. They all thought that perhaps in this way we
would be able to head off any further scheme as the one reported had
been.

"I then related what I had discovered at the Owen House, and suggested
a close watch on this man Alston. The President took up the report, and
finding the name, thought there might be something in my suggestion.
They sent for the detective that I had placed to watch him, and he
informed us that this man drank pretty freely, and had disclosed to him
while in his cups the night before that he was from St. Catharine's,
Canada; that he had plenty of money in gold, and was desirous of finding
some five or six good, active, bold and daring young men, who would be
likely to be fond of an adventure. The detective was sent back at
once with instructions to arrest him and have him taken to Old Capitol
Prison. If any questions should be asked, he was to answer that the
Secretary of War had directed it. The next morning it was telegraphed
all over the country that a Mr. Alston was arrested in Washington for
attempting to hire men to kidnap the President; and so the scheme, was
exploded.

"The next day I bade the President and the Secretary good-by, at the
same time warning the President of his great danger. He could not thank
me enough, he said, for my interest. Silent had left for the army. Just
as I was leaving, the President said to me in a whisper:

"'Look out for a great battle soon, and with it you will hear of the
fall of Richmond.'

"I thanked him for his confidence in me and left. On arriving at home
I found all well and very anxious to see me, as this had been my first
absence since the death of my wife and Peter. Henry had seen the notice
of Alston's