She's been doing work for
me and others I know for a year past, and I know she's not been out of
Richmond in that time."
The talk changed now to the books that had come through from Europe in
the blockade runners. There was a new novel by Dickens and another by
Thackeray, new at least to the South, and the members of the Mosaic Club
were soon deep in criticism and defense.
Harry strolled away after a while. He did not tell his friends--nothing
was to be gained by telling them--that he was absolutely sure of the
identity of the spy, that it was Shepard. The question of identity did
not matter if they caught him, and his old feeling that it was a duel
between Shepard and himself returned. He believed that the duty to catch
the man had been laid upon him.
He began to haunt Richmond at all hours of the night. More than once he
had to give explanations to watchmen about public buildings, but he clung
to the task that he had imposed upon himself. He explained to Dalton and
the Virginian found no fault except for Harry's loss of time that might
be devoted to amusement. Harry sometimes rebuked himself for his own
persistency, but Bagby's taunt had stung a little, and he felt that it
applied more to himself than to Dalton.
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