The World's Greatest Military Spies and Secret Service AgentsBarton, George
History
The World's Greatest Military Spies and Secret Service Agents
Barton, George
Secret service; Spies
His real ordeal was to come on the following day. Shortly after
breakfast he learned that Mr. Davis desired to see him again. And he
learned something else that caused him much perturbation. It was that
a Knoxville man had been located in Richmond and that he had been sent
for to identify the supposed Mr. Munson. Baker tried hard to screw up
his courage for the interview. He was at a loss as to how he should
act and talk. It was certain that the man did not know him and in such
an event he would be in the position of being condemned as an impostor
and a spy. While he was preparing to go over to the Spottswood House
he heard one of his captors speak of a Mr. Brock of Knoxville, who had
also been summoned to meet the President. Baker grasped at this as
a drowning man grabs at a straw. All the way to the hotel he racked
his brain in the effort to work out a plan of action. But he could
reach no definite conclusion. He would have to be guided entirely
by circumstances. One thing he did do was to refresh his mind as to
certain names and places in Knoxville. When he reached the headquarters
of the Confederate Government he found Mr. Davis talking with a man in
a frock coat and a slouch hat. At first he supposed that this must be
Brock, but fortunately he learned that it was Robert Toombs, and was
thereby saved from making a break that might have caused his undoing.
In a moment the President turned to the spy.
“Hello, Munson,” he said, “I have sent for a man who has lived in
Knoxville for many years, and he will be able to tell us if you are the
person you claim to be. Take a seat. He’ll be here in a few minutes.”
Baker sat on a chair facing the door and anxiously waited for the man
who was to give the verdict. The moments went by on leaden heels. He
could feel the cold sweat coming out on his brow. But he had courage
and he was resourceful. Once the door opened and a messenger came in.
Baker half rose to his feet, but caught himself in time. He could not
afford to make a mistake. The President and Toombs talked together as
if oblivious to his presence. Presently Toombs threw himself on a couch
in a corner of the room and Mr. Davis busied himself with some papers
on his desk. The spy kept his eyes glued upon the door. Out of it would
walk his doom or his deliverance—he could not tell which. Suddenly when
the strain was beginning to seem too great for further endurance, the
door was opened and a middle-aged man entered the room. He hesitated
for a moment and looked about him inquiringly. Baker felt that he
must be the man. He did not hesitate for the fraction of a moment, but
jumping up and hurrying toward the newcomer he held out his hand and
exclaimed in a tone of great cordiality:
“Why, hello, Brock, how are you, anyhow?”
The surprised visitor did not have time to think. He accepted the
proffered hand in a mechanical manner and said slowly:
“You—you are—”
“Sam Munson, of course. Don’t you remember me?”
“Judge Munson’s son?”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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