"Do you think, sir, if you were in my place you would like to give the name of the person you thought had risked his life to bring you word that your husband--your wife--was very ill, and needed your presence? Would you like to do it?" The officer looked severe. "Don't you know perfectly well that wasn't his principal errand inside our lines?" "No." "No!" echoed the man; "and you don't know perfectly well, I suppose, that he's been shot at along this line times enough to have turned his hair white? Or that he crossed the river for the third time last night, loaded down with musket-caps for the rebels?" "No." "But you must admit you know a certain person, wherever he may be, or whatever he may be doing, named Raphael Ristofalo?" "I do not." The officer smiled again. "Yes, I see. That is to say, you don't _admit_ it. And you don't deny it." The reply came more slowly:-- "I do not." "Well, now, Mrs. H----, I've given you a pretty long audience. I'll tell you what I'll do. But do you please tell me, first, you affirm on your word of honor that your name is really Mrs. H----; that you are no spy, and have had no voluntary communication with any, and that you are a true and sincere Union woman." "I affirm it all." "Well, then, come in to-morrow at this hour, and if I am going to give you a pass at all I'll give it to you then. Here, here's your letter." As she received the missive she lifted her eyes, suffused, but full of hope, to his, and said:-- "God grant you the heart to do it, sir, and bless you." The man laughed. Her eyes fell, she blushed, and, saying not a word, turned toward the door and had reached the threshold when the officer called, with a certain ringing energy:-- "Mrs. Richling!" She wheeled as if he had struck her, and answered:-- "What, sir!" Then, turning as red as a rose, she said, "O sir, that was cruel!" covered her face with her hands, and sobbed aloud. It was only as she was in the midst of these last words that she recognized in the officer before her the sharper-visaged of those two men who had stood by her in Broadway. "Step back here, Mrs. Richling." She came. "Well, madam! I should like to know what we are coming to, when a lady like you--a palpable, undoubted lady--can stoop to such deceptions!" "Sir," said Mary, looking at him steadfastly and then shaking her head in solemn asseveration, "all that I have said to you is the truth." "Then will you explain how it is that you go by one name in one part of the country, and by another in another part?" "No," she said. It was very hard to speak. The twitching of her mouth would hardly let her form a word. "No--no--I can't--tell you." "Very well, ma'am. If you don't start back to Milwaukee by the next train, and stay there, I shall"-- "Oh, don't say that, sir! I must go to my husband! Indeed, sir, it's nothing but a foolish mistake, made years ago, that's never harmed any one but us. I'll take all the blame of it if you'll only give me a pass!"