tient, especially now that you'll miss Hatton. He goes out with the
train-guard to-night."

"Hatton! To-night?" exclaimed the invalid.

"There you go again, Mac! What a bundle of tow you are, to be sure; I
might just as soon touch a match to a magazine."

"Doctor, tell Hatton I want him,--must see him before he goes."

"Confound it, man, I told him to keep away. Why do you want him?"

"_Because I must_ see him. You'll have a crazy man on your hands if
you don't." And Weeks decided it best to let this headstrong
Highlander have his way.

That night, in his field-dress and all ready to start, Hatton gently
came to his comrade's bed-side.

"What is it, old man?" he asked. "Weeks told me first to slip away
without saying good-by,--I'll only be gone a week,--and then hunted me
up and said you wanted to see me."

McLean looked out in the front room.

"Send that man away for a while," he said.

"Now for it," groaned Hatton, between his teeth. "Something new, and
he's got hold of it. How in heaven am I to keep my story to myself?"

Obediently at a word from Hatton, the hospital attendant took his cap
and stepped outside. Then McLean put forth his hand and took that of
the senior lieutenant.

"Hat, you and I have been good friends, haven't we?"

"Always, Mac."

"I've something to ask you. Something I must know. You remember the
night we burned that handkerchief?"

"I should say so."

"Have you ever seen--have you ever known of her ever being in here--or
around here since?"

Hatton hesitated.

"Tell me, Hat."

"I can't tell you, Mac. There's been the devil to pay. Some other
things stolen. Miller's got hold of it, and, old man, I'm thankful I'm
going, for I'd have to tell what we know."

"Great God! and Forrest two weeks' march away,--least count! See here,
Hat! To-day I found something among my handkerchiefs--in a missing one
that was returned. Do you know how it got there?"

"Yes," slowly. "She herself gave it to me and asked me to put it
there."

"You don't mean it! How could she, without exciting more suspicion? She
must have known it would only make you connect her with what had
happened here."

"Mac,--old man; it's no use! I can't keep it back from you. Why! She
was reckless of anything I might think. It has gone far beyond
suspicion. It is certainty. She was on the watch the night Miller came
here for me. It was her dress--her steps you heard in the hall. It may
be kleptomania,--God knows; b