Stuart uttered an exclamation of satisfaction.
"Ah! Nighthawk, here you are!" he said.
And turning to me he introduced the new comer as "Mr. Nighthawk, one of
my 'private friends,' and true as steel."
Mr. Nighthawk bowed with an air of smiling respect--of benignant
sweetness.
"I am glad to know you, colonel, and hope I may have an opportunity of
being of service to you some day," he said.
The voice was low, soft, and accorded with the mild expression of the
countenance.
"Well, what news, Nighthawk?" asked Stuart; "experience tells me that
you have something of importance to communicate?"
"Ah, general!"
"Yes. You pass in the cavalry by the name of the 'man before the
battle,' for you always turn up then."
Mr. Nighthawk smiled.
"I try to give you information, general; and perhaps I have some news.
But first of my visits to Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and
Washington, where I saw many of our friends."
And in his low, quiet voice Mr. Nighthawk, who had taken a seat and
smoothed down his white cravat, proceeded to speak of his travels and
what he had seen.
The narrative astounded me. He spoke without reserve, for General
Stuart had informed him that he might do so before me; and I was
startled to find the number of private friends the South had in the
North.
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