at him.

"Which way did the other two retreat, Private Overton?"

"I couldn't see, sir," the young soldier answered. "I was in the corn at
that moment."

The corporal of the guard, in the meantime, had sent another man to
relieve Noll Terry on post number four, directing Terry to report to the
officer of the day.

Still another member of the guard had been placed on post number three.

All the other commissioned officers on post, including Colonel North,
now appeared, and the investigating party was adjourned to the roadway.

Noll reported that he had seen two fugitives at a distance, and had
fired three times.

Under military discipline matters move rapidly. Soldiers with lanterns
were now searching for the trail of those who had escaped. Keen eyes
were also seeking either bundle of loot from Captain Ruggles's quarters.
It was thought that the thieves, in their haste to get away, might have
dropped their plunder.

Tip Branders, still unconscious, and badly hurt, according to the
surgeon, was taken to the post hospital, and the civil authorities in
Clowdry were notified.

"That fellow you shot called you by name, didn't he, Overton?" inquired
Captain Ruggles.

"Yes, sir," Hal admitted.

"Ah, you knew the fellow, then?" inquired Colonel North. He spoke
blandly, but he had an instant recollection of the anonymous note that
had been received at battalion headquarters.

"Yes, sir," Hal spoke promptly. "The fellow is Tip Branders. He comes
from the same home town that I do. He tried to enlist in the Army, but
was rejected because he could not supply good enough references. Then he
ran away from home, taking with him some money he stole from his mother,
according to local accounts."

"Did you know the fellow Branders was in this part of the world?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then why, Private Overton, did you not report your information promptly
to your officers?"

"Why, I did not have the least idea, sir, that Branders was still in
this neighborhood, and I did not, at any time, connect him in my mind
with the robberies."

"How often, and where, have you seen Branders in this part of the
country?" demanded Colonel North, impressively, while the other officers
looked on with keen interest.

Hal flushed, for he felt that now he was under some suspicion himself.

"I have seen Branders just once, sir," the recruit replied. "Private
Terry was with me at the time."

"This man here?" inquired Colonel North, turning to