public ball was given in
his honor. Exulting in his triumph, he danced and made merry, admired
by the chivalry and adored by the beauty of the choicest society in
Frankfort and Lexington.

On the very day in which Daviess moved for a process to compel Burr's
appearance before the Frankfort court, a woman clothed in black and
closely veiled was granted an interview with the President of the
United States, in his private office at Washington City. She came from
Philadelphia, and appeared to have no acquaintance in the new capital
on the Potomac. She declined to unveil her face or to impart her name.

"I am here to put into the hands of the President a written statement,
accompanied by copies of letters and other documents, revealing the
secret plans of a conspirator, who, if not quickly arrested in his
career of treason, will disrupt this Union and establish a rival
government in the Southwest."

The President mechanically accepted the package handed him, and the
mysterious woman left his apartment, re-entered her carriage, and
ordered the driver to take the road back toward Philadelphia.

XXIII. THE FATAL CIPHER.

The disgruntled Spaniards continued to threaten war. Governor
Claiborne ordered Casco Calvo and Intendant Morales to quit the
territory of New Orleans. Soon after this a body of Spanish troops,
supported by Indian allies, assembled on the Sabine to menace the
American borders. In August a force actually crossed the Sabine and
advanced to Bayou Pierre, near Natchitoches, a hundred and twenty
miles west of Natchez.

General Wilkinson came from St. Louis to Natchez, and presently
advanced to Natchitoches at the head of a body of one hundred regulars
and five hundred militia. Late one afternoon in October word was
brought to Wilkinson in his tent that a young man of fine appearance
had arrived in camp, desiring to enlist as a volunteer. The general
gave orders to bring the man into his presence. The would-be soldier
was conducted immediately to headquarters, and there he imparted his
name and the real cause of his coming, his representation to the
sentinel being a ruse.

"Ah, you are Colonel Burr's confidential secretary; you have travelled
far and must be exhausted. You bring documents for me?"

"Yes, sir; my credentials are included with matters more important."

"You know the contents of the enclosure?"

"Only the general import. The sender of these missives has divulged
much to me. You may