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 manuvre, 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 f.a.n.n.y 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 circ.u.mstances. 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 circ.u.mstances, 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 f.a.n.n.y 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 f.a.n.n.y 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. f.a.n.n.y 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 f.a.n.n.y 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 f.a.n.n.y 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 inst.i.tuted against f.a.n.n.y 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 f.a.n.n.y 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 a.s.semble or dissolve the court. And rest a.s.sured 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."
"f.a.n.n.y 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 f.a.n.n.y Glen.
"f.a.n.n.y Glen," he said imperiously, "come here!"
And to him she came with astonishing meekness.