of my
stupidity. This was a woman beyond all doubt--her hair, released by the
sudden removal of the hat, swept in a dark wave over her shoulders, and
she flung it back with a movement of the hand. The gleam of the stars
gave me the contour of her face, and the sparkle of her eyes. A woman,
young, pretty--and actually laughing at me, her white teeth clearly
visible. Whatever of conceit or audacity may be part of my nature,
deserted me in a flash, and I could only stare in helpless amazement.

"My God! I believe you are!" I ejaculated at last, the words bursting
forth unconsciously. "How could I have made--who are you anyhow?"

The restrained laughter rippled forth, as though the expression of my
face appealed to her sense of humor. Evidently the lady was no longer
afraid of me, nor greatly distressed over the situation.

"Isn't it too funny," she exclaimed cheerfully, "and won't Billie laugh
about this when I tell him!"

"Maybe he will," I acknowledged rather regretfully, "but it doesn't make
me laugh." Then a vague suspicion gripped me. "Why did you think I took
you for Billie?"

"Why, that was what you called me, wasn't it? The officer who escorted
me past the pickets said Billie Hardy was going to try to run the lines
to-night. So it was easy enough to guess who you were after, Mr.
Yankee. It was lucky for Billie you got me instead--or for you," she
added doubtfully.

"Oh, I guess I would have pulled through."

"Maybe," the tone decidedly provoking, "but I reckon you don't know
Billie."

She began to gather up her hair, coiling the strands about her head
carelessly, and I watched the simple operation, all the life gone out of
me, unable to decide what to do. It was useless to go back; almost
equally useless to go forward. I had no information to take into our
lines of any value, and had failed utterly in my efforts to intercept
the important despatches for Beauregard. The knowledge of my mistake
stung me bitterly, yet I could blame no one for the failure except
myself. The apparent carelessness of the girl puzzled me--why should she
be so completely at her ease in this adventure? Only at the first had
she exhibited the slightest excitement. This seemed hardly
natural--alone, thus suddenly attacked by a stranger, an enemy, and
openly threatened.

"You seem perfectly contented," I said. "Are you not frightened?"

"Frightened!" and she paused in her hair-dressing to bend slightly
forward so as to look into m