s. Something familiar about the voice caused me to leap for the
door, holding it sufficiently ajar so I could overhear what passed in
the hall. There was a muttered word or two to the sentry, the newcomer
insisting angrily on seeing Beauregard; then a woman's voice suddenly
broke in with an exclamation of surprise.

"You back again! I am afraid you will have to wait to see the general
unless your mission is of the utmost importance. He is lying down, and
left orders he was not to be disturbed before nine o'clock."

"My mission is important enough," was the reply, "but perhaps, it can be
attended to without him. Where can, we be alone, Billie?"

"Right in here," stepping through the doorway into the deeper dusk of
the dining-room. "If you are hungry I can order a lunch."

"No," impatiently, "I have eaten twice to-day--what I want to know is
what has become of that fellow who was here this morning?"

"Major Ather--"

"Oh, hell!" forgetting every pretence to gentility. "He was not Atherton
at all, but a damned Yankee spy. Do you mean to say you didn't know it?"

I could see her straighten up, turning swiftly to face him. Whatever the
shock of discovery may have been, indignation conquered, and her voice
was cool, stinging.

"Captain Le Gaire, I am not in the habit of being sworn at, and will
leave you to gain your information elsewhere."

She swept by him to the door, but, gasping with surprise, the man
managed to call after her,

"Billie, don't go like that! I didn't mean to swear. It was jolted out
of me, and I beg your pardon."

She halted on the threshold, glancing back evidently in hesitation.

"This is not the first time you have let your temper loose in my
presence," she said slowly, "but it is the last. If you feel so little
respect for me now, the future is not very encouraging."

"But, Billie, you don't understand!"

"I understand enough. However we will not discuss this matter any
further at present. What was it you desired to know?"

"Where that fellow has gone!" instantly flaming up again. "He wasn't
Atherton at all, but I'll swear he was the very picture of him; he would
have fooled the devil."

"No doubt," almost indifferently. "How did you discover the deception?"

"By merest accident. Happened to mention meeting him to old Trevor, and
he was up in arms in a minute. Seems Atherton married his niece, and the
fellow here couldn't be the major, for he was shot in a skirmish three
weeks ago,