the general.

"Come, my boy, I want to help you," said the veteran officer,
persuasively. "Who, or what, detained you? Where were you detained? It
must have been some man--or was it a woman? Tell me, and, by heavens,
I'll make such an example of the traitor as will never be forgotten in
South Carolina or the Confederacy!"

"I cannot, sir."

"Think! Your rank, your honor, it may be your life, all depend upon
your reply. You are concealing something from me. You do not answer,"
continued Beauregard, keenly scanning the face of the young man
standing before him in stubborn silence. "I see that you are shielding
some one, sheltering some unworthy person. Who is it?"

Still no answer. The general's patience was gradually vanishing in the
face of such obstinacy. Yet he restrained his growing displeasure, and
continued his questioning.

"Where did you go after you left me?"

"To my quarters, sir, to write a letter."

"Were you there all the time?"

"No, sir."

"Where did you go after the letter was written?"

No answer.

"Major Lacy said--" began the general, changing his tactics.

"Did he tell you?" cried Sempland, in sudden alarm and great dismay.

"He knew then?" exclaimed the general, triumphant in his clew. "No, he
didn't tell. He never will tell now. I have learned from a picket boat
that was captured last night by our patrols, that nothing was seen of
the _David_ after the explosion."

"Poor Lacy!" said Sempland. "Well, sir, he died the death of his
choice."

"Yes," said Beauregard, "little in life became him as the ending of
it."

A little silence fell between the two in the room.

"And I might have been there," said Sempland at last.

"I had rather see you dead, sir, than in your present case," commented
the general, deftly.

"Yes, sir, and I'd rather be there myself," returned the young man,
"but I--I beg your pardon, General, were they successful?"

"In a measure. They missed the _Wabash_, but blew up the _Housatonic_."

"Did the cotton ships get out?"

"Unfortunately, no. One of them was sunk. The other two returned in
safety. But all this is beside the question. We are losing sight of the
main point. For the last time, will you tell me why you failed to be on
hand?"

"General Beauregard, as I said, I would rather be where Lacy is now
than have failed as I did, but I cannot tell you what detained me"

"For the last time, Mr. Sempland, I beg of you to answer me. You know
the conseque