He listened to my story, nodded his head to a doorman and I followed
along the iron corridor and stood in front of a row of cells. The
Turnkey looked over a hoop of keys, turned one in a door, threw it
wide and said, waving his finger:
"Inside!" These men use few words.
The Colonel from the gloom of the cell saw me first.
"Why, you dear Major!" he cried. "You are certainly a good Sama'itan.
In prison and you visited me. I am sorry that I can't offer you a
chair, suh, but you see that my quarters are limited. Fortunately so
far I have been able to occupy it alone. Tell me of Fitz----"
"But Colonel!" I gasped. "I want to know how this happened? How was it
possible that you----"
"My dear Major, that can wait. Tell me of _Fitz_. He has not been out
of my thoughts a moment. Will he get through the day? I did eve'ything
I could, suh, and exhausted eve'y means in my power."
"Fitz is all right. They've got out an injunction and the market is
steadier----"
"And will he weather the gale?"
"I think so."
"Thank God for that, suh!" he answered, his lips quivering. "When you
see him give him my dea'est love and tell him that I left no stone
unturned."
"Why you'll see him in an hour yourself. You don't suppose we are
going to let you stay here, do you?"
"I don't know, suh. I am not p'epared to say. I have violated the laws
of the State, suh, and I did it purposely, and I'm willin' to abide
the consequences and take my punishment. I should have struck Mr.
Klutchem after what he said to me if I had been hanged for it in an
hour. I may be released, suh, but it will not be with any taint on my
honor. And now that my mind is at rest about Fitz, I will tell you
exactly what occurred and you can judge for yo'self.
"When Mr. Klutchem at last arrived at his office--I had gone there
several times--I said to him:
"'Don't start, Mr. Klutchem, I have come in the interest of my
friend, Mr. Fitzpatrick. And diff'ences between you and me can wait
for a mo' convenient season.'
"'Come in,' he said, and he looked somewhat relieved, 'what do you
want?' and we entered his private office and sat down. I then, in the
most co'teous manner, went into the details of the transaction, and
asked him in the name of decency that he would not crowd Fitz to the
wall and ruin him, but that he would at least give him time to make
good his obligations.
"'He can have it,' he blurted out, 'have all the time he wants--all of
'em can have it.' You know how coarse he can be, Major, and can
understand how he said this. 'But'--and here Mr. Klutchem laid his
finger alongside his nose--a vulgaar gesture, of co'se, but quite in
keepin' with the man--'we want some collateral that are
copper-fastened and gilt-edged all the way through'--I quote his exact
words, Major.
"'I have expected that, suh,' I said, 'and I came p'epared,' and I
unbuttoned my coat, took out the document you saw me sign in Fitz's
office, and laid it befo' him.
"'What is this?' he said.
"'My entire interest in the Caartersville and Warrenton Air Line
Railroad,' I answered. 'The whole issue of the Gaarden Spots, as you
have no doubt heard them familiarly and very justly called, suh.'
"He looked at me and said:
"'Why these are not bonds--it is only an offer to print 'em,' he said.
"'I am aware of that,' I answered, 'but look at my signature, suh. I
shall on your acceptance of my proposition, transfer the whole issue
to you--then they become yo' absolute property.'
"'For what?' he interrupted.
"'As an offerin' for my friend, suh.'
"'What! As margin for Consolidated Smeltin'?'
"'True, suh. They are, of co'se, largely in excess of yo' needs, but
Mr. Fitzpatrick is one of my dea'est friends. You, of co'se, realize
that I am left penniless myself if my friend's final obligation to you
should exceed their face value.'
"He got up, opened the door of a safe and said, 'Do you see that tin
box?'
"'I do, suh.'
"'Do you know what is in it?'
"'I do not, suh.'
"'Full of stuff that will sell under the hammer above par. Tell Mr.
Fitzpatrick if he and his customers have anythin' like that to bring
it in--and look here'--and he pulled out a small drawer. 'See that
watch?' I looked in and saw a gold watch, evidently a gentleman's,
Major. 'That watch belonged to a customer who got short of our stock
last week. It's wiped out now and a lot of other things he brought in.
That's what we call _collateral_ down here.'
"'I am not surprised, suh,' I answered. 'If men of yo' class can fo'ce
themselves into our county; divest a man of his silver-plate and
family po'traits, as was done to a gentleman friend of mine of the
highest standin' in my own State by a Nawthern caarpet-bag Bank, I am
not astonished that you avail yo'self of a customer's watch.' I said
'_divest_' and '_avail_,' Major. I intended to say '_steal_' and
'_rob_' but I checked myself in time.
"'Do you think that's any worse than yo' comin' down here and tryin'
to bunco me with a swindle like that'--and he picked up the document
and tossed it on the flo'.
"You know me well enough, Major, to know what followed. Befo' the
words were out of his mouth he was flat on his back and I standin'
over him with my cane. Then his clerks rushed in and separated us. My
present situation is the result."
The Colonel stopped and looked about the prison corridor. "Strange and
interestin' place, isn't it, Major? I shall be reasonably comfo'table
here, I s'pose"--and he raised his eyes towards the white-washed
ceiling. "There is not quite so much room as I had at City Point when
I was a prisoner of war, but I shall get along, no doubt. I have not
inqui'ed yet whether they will allow me a servant, but if they do I
shall have Chad bring me down some comfo'ts in the mornin'. I think I
should like a blanket and pillow and perhaps an easy-chair. I can tell
better after passin' the night here. By the way, Major, on yo' way
home you might stop and see Chad. Tell him the facts exactly as I have
stated them to you. He will understand; he was with me, you remember,
when I was overpow'ed and captured the last year of the War."
The Turnkey, who had been pacing up and down the corridor, stopped in
front of the gate. The Colonel read the expression on his face, and
shaking my hand warmly, said with the same air that a captured general
might have had in taking leave of a member of his staff:
"The officer seems impatient, Major, and I must, therefo', ask you to
excuse me. My dear love to Fitz, and tell him not to give my
imprisonment a thought. Good-by," and he waved his hand majestically
and stepped back into the cell.