ent with drawn sabre awaiting opportunity to
speak to his commander.

"Yes, sir," and the sabre came flashing up to the present. "She'd wint
over to the hospital to get some medicine for the lieutenant just after
our bugle sounded first call, and she came runnin' out as I wint to call
the officer of the day, sir. She ran back to the lieutenant's quarters
ahead of me, and was up only a minute or two whin down she came again
wid some bundles, and away she wint to the north gate, runnin'
wild-like. The steward told me a moment after of Dawson's escape."

"Dawson! escaped from hospital?"

"Yes, sir. They thought he was all right last evening when he was
sleeping, and took the sentry off, and at four this morning he was
gone."

CHAPTER VII.

Forty-eight hours had passed, and not a trace had been found of
Lieutenant Waring. The civil officers of the law had held grave converse
with the seniors on duty at the barracks, and Cram's face was lined with
anxiety and trouble. The formal inquest was held as the flood subsided,
and the evidence of the post surgeon was most important. About the
throat of the murdered man were indubitable marks of violence. The skin
was torn as by finger-nails, the flesh bruised and discolored as by
fiercely-grasping fingers. But death, said the doctor, was caused by the
single stab. Driven downward with savage force, a sharp-pointed,
two-edged, straight-bladed knife had pierced the heart, and all was over
in an instant. One other wound there was, a slashing cut across the
stomach, which had let a large amount of blood, but might possibly not
have been mortal. What part the deceased had taken in the struggle could
only be conjectured. A little five-chambered revolver which he
habitually carried was found on the floor close at hand. Two charges had
been recently fired, for the barrel was black with powder; but no one
had heard a shot.

The bar-keeper at the Pelican could throw but little light on the
matter. The storm had broken, he said, with sudden fury. The rain dashed
in torrents against his western front, and threatened to beat in the
windows. He called to the two men who happened to be seated at a table
to assist him, and was busy trying to get up the shutters, when
Lieutenant Doyle joined them and rendered timely aid. He had frequently
seen Doyle before during the previous month. Mrs. Doyle lived in the old
Lemaitre house in the block below, and he often supplied them with
whiskey.