Page:The woman in battle .djvu/171

Rh him, in going through the car, I gently tapped his shoulder, and said, "Have you a pass?"

"No," said he. "Won't you let me go through without one?"

"No sir," I replied; "I cannot pass any one. My orders are very strict, especially with regard to officers and soldiers."

"Well," said he, "don't you think you could go back on your orders for once? Did you never favor a friend in this line?"

"Sir," I answered, rather severely, " I know no friends in connection with my duty, or general orders."

"Well, what are you going to do in my case; for I haven't got any pass," said the general.

I replied, "I will send you back to headquarters, under guard."

"But," said he, "do you know, sir, that I am General Polk?" putting on all the magnificent style he could command as he spoke.

I was considerably nettled, both by his conduct in endeavoring to persuade me to pass him in violation of orders and by his manner, and so said, rather sharply, "I don't care, sir, who you are; you can't travel on this line without a pass, even if you are Jeff Davis himself."

I was, by this time, rather angry, and determined to have no further controversy with him ; so I called a soldier to take charge of him, while I finished going through the train.

The conductor, who had seen the whole performance, and who was afraid that I was getting myself into serious trouble, strongly advised me to release the general, and to pass him through as he desired. I told him. however, that I understood my duty perfectly, and that I intended to perform it to the letter, in this as in every other instance; and that if General Polk didn't know better than to undertake to travel without his papers, he would have to bear the consequences.

When we were nearing the station. General Polk beckoned to me, and said, "I have a leave of absence."

I held out my hand, and he produced it from his pocket, laughing as he did so at what he evidently considered a good joke on the military conductor. I looked at it, and returned it, simply saying, "That is all right, sir." The general held out his hand to me with a very cordial smile, and was evidently desirous of doing away with any ill feeling that the incident might have occasioned on my side. I was very badly