Repairing to the headquarters of General Schofield, they were readily admitted. General Schofield was the chief of staff to General Lyon at the time of the battle of Wilson Creek, and, of course, knew Lawrence well. "Glad to see you, Captain," said the General. "Curtis has written me of your good work. You are not with him now, are you?" "No, you know the commission I held was granted by Fremont. The authorities at Washington declared it illegal." "Ah, there was a large number of those commissions. I must see what I can do for you." "I thank you, General, but General Blair has just done me the great honor of appointing me on his staff." "General Blair, as well as yourself, is to be congratulated," answered the General. Blair now spoke. "General, our business with you is very important. Captain Middleton, please show the General the communication you received." Lawrence handed the General the mysterious message and Schofield read it with a darkened brow. "Who wrote this?" he asked, abruptly. "General, I do not know." "Then it may be a fake, a joke. Someone may be trying to scare us." "General, it is no joke, the proof is too positive," replied Lawrence, earnestly. "That is so," answered the General. "It also confirms rumors I have been hearing. There has been unusual activity among Southern sympathizers, all over the State, yet outside of the guerrilla bands there have been no hostile demonstrations. This must have been written by someone deep in their counsels." "General, do you remember Guilford Craig?" "Remember him! Indeed, I do. Can I ever forget what he and you were to Lyon?" "If Guilford Craig had not been killed at the battle of Pea Ridge I would be positive the communication came from him. But the handwriting bears no resemblance to his." "Are you certain he was killed?" "The proof seems positive, but his body was not found," answered Lawrence. Schofield sat for a moment in silence, and then suddenly said to Blair, "General Blair, I have a great favor to ask of you." "What is it, General? Any favor I can give you will be readily granted." "That you relinquish your claim on Captain Middleton, at least, until this crisis is over, and let me have him." Blair looked surprised, but no more so than Lawrence. "You know," continued Schofield, "there is no one who can help me more just now than Captain Middleton. No one who understands the work before me better. This Guilford Craig, as you are aware, was a curious character. To no one would he report but to Captain Middleton. This _exposé_, coming to Middleton, instead of to me, leads me to believe that Craig was not killed, as supposed, but in some way got off the field, and for reasons, known only to himself, remains in hiding. Judging the future by the past, if he is alive, and has more information to impart, it would be given only through the same source. For these reasons I would like to attach Captain Middleton to my staff."