rged.

"I know what that means, sir. A rope for my men and myself. I prefer to
die just here."

"I'll give you a short time to think it over and return for your final
answer."

Brown at once began to barricade the doors and windows. And Stuart
reported to his commander.

Lee met him at the gate.

"Well?"

"A little surprise for us, Colonel--"

"He refuses to surrender?"

"Absolutely. Captain 'John Smith' turns out to be Old John Brown of
Osawatomie, Kansas, sir."

"You're sure?"

"I couldn't be mistaken. I had him a prisoner on the plains once when
our troops were ordered out to quell the disturbances."

"That man's been here all summer planning this attack?"

"And not a soul knew him."

Lee was silent a moment and spoke slowly:

"It can only mean a conspiracy of wide scope to drench the South in
blood--"

"Of course."

"He refuses to yield without a fight?"

Stuart laughed.

"He don't know how to surrender. I left him with two pistols and a bowie
knife in his belt and a rifle in each hand."

"How many men were with him?"

"I saw but six besides the prisoners he holds as hostages. The prisoners
begged for an interview with you, sir. I told them to be quiet--that you
knew what you were doing."

"It's incredible!" Lee exclaimed.

He paused in deep thought and went on as if talking to himself.

"Strange old man--I must see him."

"I wouldn't, Colonel. He's a tough customer."

"I hate to order an assault on six men. He must be insane."

"No more than you are, unless the pursuit of a fixed idea for a lifetime
makes a man insane."

Lee turned suddenly to his aide.

"Press that crowd back into the next street and ask him to come here
under a flag of truce."

"I warn you, Colonel," Stuart protested. "He violated a flag of truce in
Kansas. He won't hesitate to shoot you on sight if he takes a notion."

Lee smiled.

"He didn't try to shoot you on sight, did he?"

"No--"

"Go back and bring him here. I must find out some things from him if I
can. He may not survive the assault."

Stuart again fixed his flag of truce and returned to the Engine House.
This time the Colonel called a cordon of marines and pressed the crowd
into the next street.

He beckoned to a sentinel.

"Ask Lieutenant Green to step here."

The sentinel called a marine to take his place and went in search of the
commander of the company.

Lee lifted his eyes to the hills of Maryland. But a few miles beyond the