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 He let it down, fumbling clumsily, so that with my disengaged hand I had to help him.

The non-commissioned officer in charge of the patrol had dismounted and came to the window.

"What do you mean by stopping me? Don't you know who I am, blockhead?" cried the General, his teeth chattering with chill and fright.

"My orders are imperative, to stop all travellers and see their papers," replied the man as he saluted.

"Well, you've stopped us; that's enough."

"I must see your papers, if you please," he said stolidly.

"Do you suppose the General writes passes for himself," I broke in.

"We have no papers," cried the General sharply. I saw his motive; he wished to provoke the man to stop us.

"Then you will have to alight," said the soldier.

"Very well. I suppose there's no help for it;" and as he turned to me the General's face wore an expression half defiant, half cunning. "I'm not responsible for what these blockheads do," he said.

"What papers do you want?" I asked, at a loss quite what to do in this new and perplexing turn.

"All travellers this way must carry a permit, or they are to be stopped. Those are my orders."

"But surely you know General Kolfort?"

"I must see the permit," he answered doggedly.

"That's easily managed. You can write one, General."

The man shook his head.

"They must be signed and countersigned," he returned, with growing suspicion and rising anger.

"The fellow's right," said the General, turning to