Chapter I: Front Matter

THE LOST DESPATCH

BY

NATALIE SUMNER LINCOLN

AUTHOR OF "THE TREVOR CASE"

ILLUSTRATED

NEW YORK AND LONDON D. APPLETON AND COMPANY 1913

Copyright, 1913, by D. APPLETON AND COMPANY

Printed in the United States of America

TO
A GALLANT SOLDIER OF THE UNION
BRIGADIER-GENERAL
SUMNER H. LINCOLN
U.S. ARMY
WHO FOUGHT IN TWO WARS UNDER THE FLAG
THIS NOVEL OF 1865 IS AFFECTIONATELY
DEDICATED

"Love rules the court, the camp, the grove
And men below, and saints above."

SIR WALTER SCOTT.

CONTENTS

Chapter Page

I. THE PIGEON'S FLIGHT 1

II. BRAINS VS. BRAWN 8

III. A KNOT OF RIBBON BLUE 19

IV. BANQUO'S GHOST 30

V. A SCRAP OF PAPER 46

VI. THE SIGNAL LIGHT 51

VII. THE MISCHANCES OF A NIGHT 57

VIII. A VOICE FROM THE PAST 64

IX. OUTWITTED 75

X. THE FORTUNES OF WAR 87

XI. WHO LAUGHS LAST 95

XII. THE FIGHT AT THE FORD 112

XIII. FOR THE CAUSE 120

XIV. WHEN TRAGEDY GRINS 134

XV. NEMESIS 144

XVI. A TANGLED SKEIN 161

XVII. IN CLOSE CONFINEMENT 168

XVIII. WHEN DOCTORS DISAGREE 176

XIX. GROPING IN THE DARK 186

XX. THE TURNING POINT 197

XXI. THE TRIAL 210

XXII. WEAVING THE WEB 229

XXIII. SENSATIONAL EVIDENCE 245

XXIV. A STARTLING DISCOVERY 257

XXV. A THUNDERBOLT 268

XXVI. BY A HAIR'S BREADTH 282

XXVII. WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE 300

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Facing Page

"As Lloyd bent forward ... he received a
crashing blow on the temple" _Frontispiece_

"'You? Nancy!' The doctor gazed incredulously" 68

"'I--I--am afraid he is dead'" 116

"Another interruption stopped her ... A hesitating
step crossed the threshold" 278

THE LOST DESPATCH