"I will go with you," he said. "I must get leave to see him, but you had
better not speak of Peter to any one."
Josiah was already somewhat indisposed to tell to others the story of the
North Anna incident, and walked on in silence over the snow until at the
provost-marshal's quarters Rivers dismissed him.
In a brief talk with the provost-marshal, Rivers learned that there had
been a hastily summoned court-martial, and in the presence of very clear
evidence a verdict approved by General Grant. The man would be shot at
seven the next morning. "A hopeless case, Mr. Rivers," said the Provost,
"any appeal for reprieve will be useless--utterly useless--there will be
no time given for appeal to Mr. Lincoln. We have had too much of this
lately."
Rivers said nothing of his acquaintance with the condemned man. He too
had reached the conviction, now made more definite, that needless pain
for the old mother could be avoided by letting Peter die with the name he
had assumed.
It was after twelve at night when the provost's pass admitted him to a
small wooden prison. One candle dimly lighted the hut, where a manacled
man crouched by a failing fire. The soldier on guard passed out as the
clergyman entered. When the door closed behind him, Rivers said, "Peter.
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