No sooner was he gone than the Judge turned eagerly to a pile of mail which he had just received, and which the coming of Calhoun had interrupted him in reading. Hurriedly running over the letters, he picked out one, and opened it with nervous fingers. It was written in cipher.
Opening a secret drawer in his desk, he took out the key to the cipher, and began the translation of the dispatch. As he did so, he gave vent to his surprise in various exclamations.
"Lieutenant Calhoun Pennington of Morgan"s staff ... will go by name of W.
B. Harrison ... comes North to fully investigate conditions.... If favorable will invade North.... Pennington is member of K. G. C."
The Judge laid down the letter and seemed to be gazing into vacancy. He was thinking-thinking hard. At last he picked up the letter and read it through to the end. Then he made preparations to go out.
"I shall not be back again this afternoon," he said to his clerk, as he pa.s.sed out. "You can lock up the office when you leave. I shall not need you this evening."
When Calhoun called that evening, he was met at the door by the Judge, and given a reception much different from that he received in the afternoon.
"I am glad to see you, Lieutenant," said the Judge, and he raised his hand as if in military salute, but was careful not to touch his forehead.
"And I am rejoiced to make the acquaintance of Judge Worley," replied Calhoun, raising his hand as if to shade his eyes from the light.
They then advanced and grasped each other by the hand, the fore-finger of each resting on the pulse of the other.
"Nu," said Calhoun.
"Oh," responded the Judge.
"Lac," answered Calhoun.
"Nu-oh-lac," they then both said together.
Thus were they introduced to each other as members of the Knights of the Golden Circle.
The Judge was now profuse in his apologies for his treatment of Calhoun at their first meeting.
"The fact is," said the Judge, "we are surrounded by Lincoln spies on every hand. Some of them have gained admittance into the order. One cannot be too careful. Then your youth misled me. I am now surprised that one so young should be selected for so important a commission."
"No apology is needed," said Calhoun. "I confess I was indignant at first, but I now see you were right in receiving me as you did. Have you received General Forrest"s letter yet?"
"Yes, and it makes all plain. By the way, I see that your name is Calhoun.
Have you ever noticed our pa.s.sword particularly?"
"No; you must bear in mind I am a new member."
"Read your name backwards," said the Judge, with a smile.
Calhoun did so, and exclaimed, in surprise: "Nuohlac! Why, it"s my name spelled backwards."
"Aye! and it is the name of the greatest American who ever lived,"
exclaimed the Judge, with enthusiasm. "I trust that you honor the name.
Would that John C. Calhoun were alive now. What a glorious day it would be for him. But his spirit lives-lives, and thank G.o.d there is no Andrew Jackson in the presidential chair!"
"Lincoln seems to have more nerve than I wish he had," answered Calhoun.
"Lincoln is an ignoramus, a filthy story-teller, a monster. Seward is the brains of the administration. Without Seward, Lincoln would be nothing."
Calhoun thought it wise not to dispute with the Judge, so he changed the subject by asking the number of Knights of the Golden Circle in the state.
"That, under my oath, I cannot give," answered the Judge. "I see by General Forrest"s letter that you have taken only the first degree of the order. That ent.i.tles you to very little information. It is the duty of those who take only this degree to obey, not to question. General Forrest advises that the other degrees be given you as soon as possible. I have already made arrangements to have you initiated into the second and third degrees this evening. That is as high as we can go here."
The Judge here looked at his watch, and said it was time to go.
Calhoun accompanied him to a room over a saloon, the Judge explaining that they had selected the place so as not to excite suspicion by so many men pa.s.sing in and out. Calhoun found at least fifty men a.s.sembled, and when he was introduced as one of Morgan"s men, he received a perfect ovation.
"Hurrah for John Morgan!" shouted one enthusiastic member, and the cheers were given with a will.
Three cheers were then given for Jeff Davis, followed by three groans for Abe Lincoln.
Calhoun could scarcely believe his ears. Was this the North? He could well believe he was in the heart of the South.
The object of the meeting was stated, and Calhoun was duly initiated into the second and third degrees. There was no mistaking the nature of the society; its object was the overthrow of the Lincoln government. But resistance to the draft was the main thing discussed. Their hatred of even the name of Lincoln was shown in every word.
Calhoun, now armed with the proper credentials, was told that to obtain the information which he sought, he would have to visit the Grand Commander of the state, who was a Dr. Warrenton, of Springfield. Calhoun marvelled that the head officer of such an order should reside under the very shadow of the state capitol.
The next day found Calhoun in Springfield. It was full of Federal soldiers, and from almost every house a United States flag was flying. It did not look like a very promising place for opposition to the Federal government, but Calhoun afterwards learned that the place was honeycombed with members of the Knights of the Golden Circle.
Calhoun was received by Dr. Warrenton with the greatest caution, and it was only after he was fully satisfied that his visitor was what he represented himself to be that the Doctor consented to talk.
"Be frank with me," said Calhoun; "John Morgan is contemplating a raid in the North, and he wishes to know whether in that case he can expect any aid from this order, and if so to what number."
The Doctor seemed to be fired with the idea of Morgan making a raid, but said: "If you are to be given the full information you ask for, you must be initiated into the fourth degree of the order. That is a degree which but very few take, and can be given only with the consent of the Supreme Commander. The Grand Commanders of the different states meet the Supreme Commander in Canada next Tuesday. This is Friday. You had better attend that meeting, as your mission is very important."
"Why meet in Canada?" asked Calhoun.
"Because it is safer, and-and we want to meet the Supreme Commander of the order."
"Ah! I understand," said Calhoun. "Mr. -"
"Stop; on your life mention no names! Our oaths forbid it."
"I stand corrected," answered Calhoun, humbly.
It was arranged that Calhoun was to accompany Dr. Warrenton to Canada; but the Doctor warned him that on the cars they must be to each other as strangers.
"When we reach Detroit," said the Doctor, "go to the Russell House, and register as from Chicago. Write Chicago "Chic." "
"I think I will go through to Chicago this evening," said Calhoun; "I should like to make some investigations there; you can meet me there Monday."
So it was arranged, the Doctor giving him the names of half a dozen men in that city whom it might be well for him to see. "But mind," said Warrenton, "do not tell any one of Morgan"s contemplated raid. That must be a secret."
Calhoun spent two days in Chicago, and what he saw and learned there surprised him more than ever. Opposition to the Lincoln government was everywhere. The leading newspaper boldly demanded that the war be stopped, boastingly proclaimed that there would soon be "a fire in the rear" that would bring Lincoln to his senses. Resistance to the draft was openly talked on the streets. It was even hinted that there was a secret move on foot to liberate the prisoners at Camp Douglas and burn the city.
"This is proving interesting," thought Calhoun; "the whole North seems to be a seething volcano, ready to burst forth into flames, yet something seems to smother the flames."