until
father came for me, and then stepped into the other room. When I came
back, he had gone. A little later I heard you searching the rooms, and
went out into the hall believing it might be he."

"You saw nothing more of him?"

"No."

"Nor of the man you mistook for a guard?"

She shook her head positively.

"Only the once." Then, after hesitating, her eyes uplifted to mine."
Lieutenant Galesworth, you did not encounter Captain Le Gaire alive in
the hall?"

"I never saw him alive after he ran from the field. The noise you heard
was when I tripped and fell, my revolver dropping to the floor. It was
then I discovered his dead body. You will believe this?"

"Yes," and she extended her hand. "I have been very wrong; you must
forgive me. But how could he have been killed? Who could have had
a motive?"

"Had Le Gaire no enemies?"

"Not to my knowledge. I know little of his life, yet surely there could
be no one here--in this house--who would deliberately seek to kill him.
No one would have opportunity except one of your own men."

I confess it appeared that way to me also, and the fact only served to
make the mystery more baffling. I knew personally every soldier under my
command, and was certain no man among them had ever so much as seen Le
Gaire previous to the night before. They could have no reason to attempt
his life, no grudge against him. Yet every Confederate was under guard,
and the fellow Billie had seen in the hall wore our uniform, even to the
detached buttons--she had noted that. If the man had been on guard,
merely performing his military duty, there would have been no secrecy;
he would have reported the affair long before this. But Le Gaire had
been murdered, treacherously killed, without doubt struck from behind,
and there must be some reason, some cause for the act.

"I understand this no better than you," I admitted finally. "I shall
have the house thoroughly searched, and every one of my men examined.
But I am afraid we shall be obliged to leave before the mystery is
solved. Hear those guns! It almost seems as though the fighting was
already within sight of the house." I stepped across to the window and
looked out. "However it is all to the north and east, and there is still
opportunity for us to get safely away into the ravine. I cannot
understand why our forces have not taken advantage of it--in that way
they could have struck the enemy a stunning blow on the left. There's a
blunder somew