Houghton. A clerk
said, "He is very busy, sir. Cannot I attend to your matter?"
"I wish to see Mr. Houghton personally."
"Will you send in your card, sir?"
Captain Bodine took one from his pocket and wrote upon it, "I wish to see
you briefly on a personal matter." A moment later he was ushered into Mr.
Houghton's presence, who was writing rapidly at his desk. Bodine stood
still, balancing himself on his crutches while the merchant finished the
sentence. He looked at the hard wrinkled face and shock of white hair with
the same steady composure that he had often faced a battery, as yet
silent, but charged with fiery missiles.
At last Mr. Houghton looked up with an impatient word upon his lip, but
checked it as he saw the striking figure before him. For an instant the
two men looked steadily into each other's eyes. Ever since the war,
Captain Bodine had dressed in gray, and Mr. Houghton knew instinctively
that his visitor was a Confederate veteran. Then the captain's mutilation
caught his attention, and his very manhood compelled him to rise and
stiffly offer a chair.
"You wished to see me personally," he remarked, coldly. "I must request
you to be brief, for I rarely allow myself to be disturbed at this hour."
"I will be brief. I merely come to ask if you have employment for a
tolerably rapid, accurate penman?"
"Do you refer to yourself?" Mr. Houghton asked, his brow darkening.
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