y
discover the woman I am engaged to marry was out all night riding around
with a stranger, eating breakfast with him when I arrive. Do you suppose
that is pleasant?"

"No; yet my explanation ought to be sufficient."

"Explanation! You have made none."

"Oh, yes; Judge Moran told you the circumstances."

I heard him stomp roughly across the floor, his spurs clanking.

"Explanation, nothing! Who is the fellow?"

"Really I don't know."

"Don't know? Do you mean to say you rode with him alone all night, and
took breakfast with him this morning, without even learning his name?"

"He said his name was Galesworth, but I don't know that he told the
truth."

"You pretend indifference well," the man sneered.

"It is no pretence; I am indifferent. Why should I be otherwise? I am
not interested in spies. I may assist one through the lines to serve the
Confederacy, but that is no evidence that I feel any personal interest
in the man. Anyhow that is the extent of my knowledge in this case, and
I haven't the slightest desire to increase it. When are you going
to ride on?"

"Not until I know more than I do now," he retorted savagely. "There is
something hidden here. You are pretending all this indifference so as to
give that fellow sufficient time to get away. I'm damned if I put
up with it."

"Captain Le Gaire," and she was upon her feet, "do you venture to
address such language to me? Do you dare--"

"I am no dupe of yours or of any other woman," he broke in, too angry
now to restrain his words. "There is something wrong here, and I mean to
know what it is. If you won't tell, I'll find out myself." He strode
across to the window and called to some one below. "Slade, come
in here."

There was a moment of waiting, during which neither stirred, nor spoke.
Then the trooper entered, his heels clicking together as he saluted just
within the doorway.

"Sergeant," said Le Gaire shortly. "I have reason to suspect there is a
man hidden in that room yonder. I'll keep an eye on this young lady,
while you find out."

Slade took a step forward, and the girl's dress rustled.

"Wait just a minute, Sergeant," she said briefly. "Am I to understand
from this, Captain Le Gaire, that you are not only a bully, but also
a coward?"

"A coward!--"

"Yes, a coward. You order the sergeant to open that door--why do you
not open it yourself?"

He laughed rather unpleasantly.

"So that's the trouble? Well, it's merely a way we have