An orderly appeared in the doorway, spoke to the two sentries and was passed in with a salute to Forbes.
"For General Grant," he said, holding out a folded note of white paper.
"Personal from Lieutenant Harris, sir." At the sound of his name the General turned slowly and accepted the note which the orderly presented.

He took it without haste and yet without any perceptible loss of time or motion and, as always, without unnecessary words.

Scanning it, he shifted his cigar to one corner of his mouth where its smoke would not rise into his eyes, thought for an instant, then nodded shortly.
"I'll see him.

At once." Dismissed, the orderly saluted and passed quickly out.

The General, with his chin in his collar and his cigar held between his fingers at nearly the same level, moved back to the window and stood there silently as before.