Then he took one himself, lighted it at the smouldering end of the one he had taken from his mouth, was about to throw the stump carelessly down, but, suddenly recollecting himself, leaned over his horse, and dropped it carefully a few inches away from the face of a dead soldier.

Then, straightening himself in the saddle, he shoved his horse against the brigadier, moving him a little further on, while a slight movement of his hand kept the staff from following.
"A heavy loss here!" "I'm afraid so, General." "It couldn't be helped.

We had to rush in your brigade to gain time, and occupy the enemy, until we could change front." The young general looked at the shrewd, cold eyes of his chief.
"Change front ?" he echoed.
"Yes.

Before a gun was fired, we discovered that the enemy was in complete possession of all our plans, and knew every detail of our forward movement.

All had to be changed." The younger man now instantly understood the incomprehensible order of the day before.
The general of division continued, with his first touch of official formality,-- "You understand, therefore, General Brant, that in the face of this extraordinary treachery, the utmost vigilance is required, and a complete surveillance of your camp followers and civilians, to detect the actual spy within our lines, or the traitor we are harboring, who has become possessed of this information.