d Chauvenet. That would really be entertaining. No doubt Chauvenet
could whip your mysterious suitor."

He looked away, with an air of unconcern, at the deepening shadows on the
mountains.

"Dear Dick, I am quite sure that if you have been chosen out of all the
United States army to find Mr. John Armitage, you will succeed without
any help from me."

"That doesn't answer my question. You don't know what you are doing. What
if father knew that you were seeing this adventurer--"

"Oh, of course, if you should tell father! I haven't said that I had seen
Mr. Armitage; and you haven't exactly told me that you have a warrant for
his arrest; so we are quits, Captain. You had better look in at the
hotel dance to-night. There are girls there and to spare."

"When I find Mr. Armitage--"

"You seem hopeful, Captain. He may be on the high seas."

"I shall find him there--or here!"

"Good luck to you, Captain!"

There was the least flash of antagonism in the glance that passed between
them, and Captain Claiborne clapped his hands together impatiently and
went into the house.

CHAPTER XX

THE FIRST RIDE TOGETHER

My mistress bent that brow of hers;
Those deep dark eyes where pride demurs
When pity would be softening through,
Fixed me a breathing-while or two
With life or death in the balance: right!
The blood replenished me again;
My last thought was at least not vain:
I and my mistress, side by side
Shall be together, breathe and ride,
So, one day more am I deified.
Who knows but the world may end to-night?

--R. Browning.

"We shall be leaving soon," said Armitage, half to himself and partly to
Oscar. "It is not safe to wait much longer."

He tossed a copy of the _Neue Freie Presse_ on the table. Oscar had been
down to the Springs to explore, and brought back news, gained from the
stablemen at the hotel, that Chauvenet had left the hotel, presumably for
Washington. It was now Wednesday in the third week in April.

"Oscar, you were a clever boy and knew more than you were told. You have
asked me no questions. There may be an ugly row before I get out of these
hills. I should not think hard of you if you preferred to leave."

"I enlisted for the campaign--yes?--I shall wait until I am discharged."
And the little man buttoned his coat.

"Thank you, Oscar. In a few days more we shall probably be through with
this business. There's another man coming to get into the game--he
reached Washington yes