Spy stories; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Fiction
"I sent to your aunt for some necessary clothes for you, Nancy, and the
superintendent, here, says they will be brought to you as soon as my
messenger returns with them."
"After they have been examined by me," put in Wood gruffly. "Your
quarters are in Carrol Prison, where the women are confined."
He pointed up the dirty staircase, and Nancy, preceded by the corporal
of the guard, climbed wearily up them, and turned down a long corridor.
The corporal stopped before an open door midway down the hall, and
signed to her to enter. Senator Warren, who had accompanied her by
Wood's permission, stepped forward.
"I must perforce leave you here," he said; then, seeing the hunted look
in Nancy's weary eyes, he added pityingly: "Don't be so worried, child;
keep a brave heart. Your aunt and I will have you out of here in no
time."
Nancy turned and impulsively kissed him. "You dear, faithful friend,"
she murmured brokenly.
"There, there." The senator's own eyes were moist. He thought of his
little daughter at home under a watchful mother's care. What if she
were in prison, suspected of grave crimes? He patted Nancy's wavy hair
with tender hand.
"Senator"--her voice was so low he barely caught her halting
words--"won't you get word to me to-morrow without fail
about--about----"
"About what, child?"
"About Major Goddard's condition. I--I--must know."
Bravely and unashamed, she looked squarely at Warren. His shrewd eyes
softened as he read the story of an untold love in her blushing face.
One second more and the door slammed to; the bolt was shot, and Nancy,
with wide, curious eyes, stood gazing at her new surroundings by the
aid of a half-burnt candle. The room was small and unspeakably dirty. A
wooden cot with its straw mattress stood in the corner farthest from
the window; a broken-down wash stand with a tin basin was in another
corner, and a wooden chair without a back occupied the center of the
room.
While Nancy was taking stock of her furniture, the door was opened and
a bundle of clothes tossed unceremoniously inside. She waited until she
heard the door relocked; then took up her belongings, which were well
tumbled by the inspection they had undergone. There were some pegs in
the walls, and Nancy hung her wrap on one of them; then walked over to
the window.
Her room looked out on a court formed by the wings of the buildings. A
high platform wide enough for two men to pass each other had been
erected on the top of the fence at the back, and she caught the gleam
of the moonlight on the sentries' bayonets as it was reflected back by
the burnished steel. There was no curtain of any kind in the window.
The dirt on the window-panes was her only protection against prying
eyes. So Nancy pushed the stool over by the bed, piled her extra
clothing on the foot of the bed, and carefully blew out the candle
before undressing.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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