THE GENERAL'S LITTLE COMEDY
There was a hurried movement on the part of the sentry in the corridor,
followed by the trampling of many feet. Sabres clanked, voices broke
the stillness. Fanny Glen was really frightened now. They were coming.
They were there. What were they about to do to her? Of course, they
would not shoot her,--she was reasonably sure of that,--but in any
event she was certain to be parted from her lover. She drew nearer to
him as the door was opened.
On the threshold stood General Beauregard himself, his visage charged
with an unusual degree of solemnity. Back of him were grouped the
members of his staff and others who had been on the wharf the night
before. They were all in full uniform and made a most impressive sight.
It was a highly dramatic moment, full of menace to the woman. As for
Sempland, he scarcely comprehended it.
"The court-martial!" whispered Fanny Glen, fearfully, instinctively
shrinking closer to Sempland as she spoke.
That officer knew, of course, that no court-martial was ever
inaugurated in that manner, but he said nothing. He did not understand.
He would await developments. Something was in the wind, certainly. What
could it be?
"Captain Sempland," said the general, formally, advancing further into
the room, followed by the rest, "you are relieved from arrest, sir,
and--"
"Captain Sempland?" murmured Sempland in great surprise.
"Yes, sir, Captain Sempland," with marked emphasis on the title. "You
are restored to duty forthwith, sir," continued the general, smiling at
his astonished subordinate. "The charges of neglect of duty and
disobedience of orders which I made last night and repeated this
morning are withdrawn. There never was any suspicion of cowardice or
treason. Although you did not succeed, having been prevented by causes
beyond your control, as I now learn, from taking out the _David_, yet
your earnest desire to do so, the fact that you volunteered for the
detail, and even besought me to give it to you, the extreme measures to
which you resorted to escape from confinement in order to carry out
your orders, even going so far as to threaten a lady, warrant me in
promoting you. Here," receiving the weapon from one of the staff
officers, "is your sword. I return it to you." Next the general drew
some papers from his coat. "Here is your commission as captain. Here
are orders which take you to the Army of Northern Virginia. They are
accompanied by a personal letter to my friend, General Lee, in which I
have asked him to give you a position on his staff with all its
opportunities for useful service and distinction. May you reflect
credit, as I have no doubt you will, upon the South, the state of South
Carolina, and all our hopes and ambitions for you. Gentlemen," to the
others, "you are all witnesses to this rehabilitation of Captain
Sempland."
The room was instantly filled with the sound of hearty cheering from
the officers in attendance.
"General Beauregard, you have overwhelmed me," faltered Sempland as
soon as he could make himself heard. "I have done nothing to deserve
this honor."
Beauregard stepped nearer to him.
"You would have sacrificed your life for a woman," whispered the
gallant little general, approvingly. "I understand." Then he said
aloud: "See that you strive to merit our trust and confidence in the
future, then. You will have many chances for great deeds with General
Lee. Would that I were with him!"
"General," said the young man, "your kindness emboldens me. This lady,
sir--"
"Is a prisoner," said the general, shortly.
"I know it, sir. She committed a terrible blunder, yet--"
"Gentlemen," said Beauregard, turning to his staff officers, "you know
the story of last night. How this lady interfered to prevent an
important military manoeuvre, the object of which was the destruction
of the Federal flagship by a torpedo, and incidentally the probable
death of Captain Sempland. Such conduct is essentially treasonable,
especially in a state of war. What is the punishment for such actions
in the face of the enemy?"
"Death, sir," returned the adjutant-general, solemnly.
"Are you all agreed as to that, gentlemen?"
"We are, sir," was the unanimous reply.
They had been well tutored in the little comedy which the general had
arranged, it was evident.
"Impossible, sir!" cried Sempland, in agony. They deceived even him
with their seriousness. "This is most irregular! I protest--"
"I am ready, gentlemen," whispered Fanny Glen, bravely, turning very
white as she spoke, and not appearing at all ready in fact, "I--I--am
glad to--suffer, since Captain Sempland--" she faltered with a
miserable attempt at courage.
"One moment, please," broke in the little general, imperatively. "But,
gentlemen, the culprit has otherwise deserved well of her country, as
you know. During the war her services in the general hospital have been
beyond price. She is a woman. On the ship which it was proposed to blow
up was her father, Admiral Vernon, a South Carolinian, whose ideas of
duty led him to continue his services to the United States. These are
mitigating circumstances. Here is no treachery to the South, merely a
woman's desire to save her father from a swift and sudden death. No
mischance has arisen from her action. Major Lacy took out the boat with
his usual distinction, although, fortunately for the lady and the
admiral, the _Housatonic_ seems to have suffered instead of the
_Wabash_. Under these circumstances, I think, it does not behoove us to
be too severe. You agree with me, I am sure, gentlemen?"
"Certainly, sir, we do," replied the officers in chorus.
"Thank you! thank you!" exclaimed Fanny Glen, gratefully, with
boundless relief in her voice.
By this time she was as close to Sempland as she could get, and
entirely unconscious of what he was doing, the latter had thrown his
arm protectingly around her waist.
"Wait, Miss Glen," said the general, severely, lifting his hand and
checking her further speech, "you cannot think to escape scot free.
Such actions cannot go entirely unpunished. So long as Miss Fanny Glen
exists she must suffer for her actions. You are agreed with me,
gentlemen?"
"We are, sir."
It was remarkable the unanimity with which they all supported their
general's decisions on so serious a matter, and practically without
deliberation.
"Captain Sempland, as a soldier, I am sure you will acquiesce in the
views of your brother officers."
Sempland bit his lip. Fanny Glen nestled closer to him and looked up at
him beseechingly.
"Oh, General!" he said at last. "Isn't there some way out of it?"
"There may be," said the general, solemnly. "Let me think a moment.
Suppose--ah, suppose, Miss Fanny Glen were to disappear?"
"But where can I go, sir?" asked the girl, nervously. "All that I
love--" she observed a smile flickering upon the general's lips as she
glanced at Sempland. "I mean everybody and everything that I love is
here." She stamped her foot impatiently. "You won't send me to the
Union fleet? I know my father is safe--but I love the South. I will
never do anything wrong again if you won't send me away!" she pleaded.
It was, indeed, a sweeping promise, one she could scarcely have kept.
"There are other ways by which Miss Fanny Glen might disappear," said
Beauregard, gravely.
"How, sir?"
"You might change your name--again!"
"Change my name?"
"Yes. You might become--Mrs. Rhett Sempland, let us say!"
"O-o-oh!" cried the girl, blushing furiously and drawing away from her
lover's side.
"Quite so," answered the general with deep gravity, too deep not to be
suspicious, while Sempland's heart leaped with happiness. This was the
meaning of the general's little play, then?
"Proceedings which would have to be instituted against Fanny Glen could
then be allowed to drop," continued Beauregard, enjoying the situation
immensely. "Is not that a solution, gentlemen?" he asked, throwing back
his head and laughing cheerfully at the pleasant ending of the little
comedy he had planned, which pleased the small audience hugely.
"That is the happiest of all solutions, sir," said Sempland, taking
Fanny Glen's hands.
"I won't be married simply to save my life," said the girl.
"Of course not," said the general. "Yet either you must be
court-martialled or Mr. Sempland will be."
"I--I might do it--to save--his life, sir," she said, blushing
furiously again.
"However it is done--" said Sempland, "however it may be brought about,
it satisfies me completely."
"'If 'twere done when 'tis done, 'twere well 'twere done quickly,'"
quoted the general with striking appositeness, greatly delighted at the
outcome of the affair.
"I agree with you entirely, sir," returned Sempland, smiling--it was
the part of wisdom for a captain to agree with a general always, and
the way of prudence was the path of pleasure in this instance.
"Captain Sempland," said Beauregard, "your orders need not be carried
out until to-morrow. There will be time enough before that time for a
wedding, in which, in the absence of her father, I promise myself the
pleasure of giving away the bride. Now, gentlemen, we will leave
the--ah--two culprits to talk it over for a few moments. Let me know
your decision, Miss Glen, as soon as may be, that I may decide whether
to assemble or dissolve the court. And rest assured the happenings of
last night and this morning, so far as they concern Miss Glen, are not
to be spoken outside this room by any one. Good morning."
* * * * *
"Fanny Glen," said Sempland, when they were alone once more, "are you
marrying me to save yourself?"
She shook her head.
"Rhett Sempland, are you marrying me," she asked in return, "to save
yourself?"
"I am marrying you, you little darling, as you very well know, because
I love you."
"And that is my reason, too," said Fanny Glen.
"Fanny Glen," he said imperiously, "come here!"
And to him she came with astonishing meekness.
"Put your arms around my neck!"
And obediently there she put them!
"Lift up your head!"
Slowly, surely, up it came!
After all, Fanny Glen did love a masterful man!