s refused.

The only thing Grant conceded was his consent to Kilpatrick's attempt to
free and arm these 15,000 prisoners and loose them with fire and sword
in the streets of the Confederate Capital.

Little did the men, women and children of Richmond dream that they were
lying down each night to sleep on the thin crust of a volcano.

Captain Welford in the pursuit of Socola and Miss Van Lew had found that
the woman on Church Hill persisted in her visits to the prisons. Libby,
which contained a number of Union officers of rank, was her favorite.

On the last day of February his patient watch was rewarded. He had
placed a spy in Libby disguised as a captive Union soldier.

This man had sent the Captain an urgent message to communicate with him
at once. Within thirty minutes Welford confronted him in the guardroom
of the prison.

The Captain spoke in sharp nervous tones:

"Well?"

"I've something big--"

He paused and glanced about the room.

"Go on!"

"There's a plot on foot inside to escape--"

"Of course. They're always plotting to escape--we've no real prison
system--no discipline. Hundreds have escaped already. It's nothing
new--"

"This _is_ new," the spy went on eagerly, "They let me into their
councils last night. There's going to be a big raid on Richmond--the men
inside are going to fight their way out, arm themselves and burn the
city. When they get the signal from the outside they'll batter down the
walls and rush through--"

"Batter down the walls?"

"Yes, sir--"

"How?"

"They've loosed two big rafters and have them ready to use as battering
rams--"

"You're sure of this?"

"Sure's God's in heaven. Go in and see for yourself--"

Captain Welford gave a low whistle.

"This is big news. There are enough prisoners in Richmond to make an
army corps--eleven hundred in here--twenty-five hundred at Crew and
Pemberton's--at Belle Isle and the other stockades at least fifteen
thousand in all. They are guarded by a handful of men. If they realize
their power, they can batter their way out in five minutes and sweep the
city with blood and fire--"

He stopped suddenly, drew a deep breath and turned again to the man.

"That'll do for you here. Take a little rest. You'd as well go back into
a lion's den when they find out that I know. They'd spot you sure and
tear you limb from limb."

The spy saluted.

"Report to me a week from to-day at the office. You've earned a
vacation."

The man