oughtfully rubbed his leg.

"Don't let us travel out of the record, General," he said after a pause.
But as the color surged into Brant's cheek he raised his eyes to the
ceiling, and said, in half-humorous recollection,--

"No, I think THAT fact was first gathered from your other friend--Mr.
Hooker."

"Hooker!" said Brant, indignantly; "did he come here?"

"Pray don't destroy my faith in Mr. Hooker, General," said the
President, in half-weary, half-humorous deprecation. "Don't tell me
that any of his inventions are TRUE! Leave me at least that magnificent
liar--the one perfectly intelligible witness you have. For from the
time that he first appeared here with a grievance and a claim for
a commission, he has been an unspeakable joy to me and a convincing
testimony to you. Other witnesses have been partisans and prejudiced;
Mr. Hooker was frankly true to himself. How else should I have known of
the care you took to disguise yourself, save the honor of your uniform,
and run the risk of being shot as an unknown spy at your wife's side,
except from his magnificent version of HIS part in it? How else should
I have known the story of your discovery of the Californian conspiracy,
except from his supreme portrayal of it, with himself as the hero? No,
you must not forget to thank Mr. Hooker when you meet him. Miss Faulkner
is at present more accessible; she is calling on some members of my
family in the next room. Shall I leave you with her?"

Brant rose with a pale face and a quickly throbbing heart as the
President, glancing at the clock, untwisted himself from the chair, and
shook himself out full length, and rose gradually to his feet.

"Your wish for active service is granted, General Brant," he said
slowly, "and you will at once rejoin your old division commander, who
is now at the head of the Tenth Army Corps. But," he said, after a
deliberate pause, "there are certain rules and regulations of your
service that even I cannot, with decent respect to your department,
override. You will, therefore, understand that you cannot rejoin the
army in your former position."

The slight flush that came to Brant's cheek quickly passed. And there
was only the unmistakable sparkle of renewed youth in his frank eyes as
he said--

"Let me go to the front again, Mr. President, and I care not HOW."

The President smiled, and, laying his heavy hand on Brant's shoulder,
pushed him gently towards the door of the inner room.

"I was