back of the dispatch these words: 'General Jubal
Early, C. S. A.: This has ceased to be a joke. After your first man was
stopped, it was not necessary to do anything more. I have the dispatch.
Why insist on sending duplicate after duplicate?' And the two had to
walk all the way back to General Early with that note, because they
didn't dare make away with the dispatch.

"I have a certain respect for that man's skill and daring, but General
Early had a series of spells. He retired to his tent and if the reports
are not exaggerated, a continuous muttering like low thunder came from
the tent, and all the cloth of it turned blue from the lightnings
imprisoned inside."

General Lee himself smiled.

"It was certainly annoying," he said. "I hope the dispatch was not of
importance."

"It contained nothing that will help the Yankees, but it shows that the
enemy has some spies--or at least one spy--who are Napoleons at their
trade."

CHAPTER XIII

THE COMING OF GRANT

The little dinner ended. Despite his disapproval of General Early's
swearing, General Lee laughed heartily at further details of the strange
Yankee spy's exploits. But it was well known that in this particular
General Early was the champion of the East. Harry did not know that in
the person of Colonel Charles Woodville, his cousin, Dick Mason, had
encountered one of equal ability in the Southwest.

Presently General Lee and his two young aides mounted their horses for
the return. The commander-in-chief seemed gayer than usual. He was
always very fond of Stuart, whose high spirits pleased him, and before
his departure he thanked him for his thoughtfulness.

"Whenever we get any particularly choice shipments from the North I shall
always be pleased to notify you, General, and send you your share,"
said Stuart, sweeping the air in front of him again with his great plumed
hat. With his fine, heroic face and his gorgeous uniform he had never
looked more a knight of the Middle Ages.

General Lee smiled and thanked him again, and then rode soberly back,
followed at a short distance by his two young aides. Although the
view of hills and mountains and valleys and river and brooks was now
magnificent, the sumach burning in red and the leaves vivid in many
colors, Lee, deeply sensitive, like all his rural forbears, to rural
beauty, nevertheless seemed not to notice it, and soon sank into deep
thought.

It is believed by many that Lee knew then