st terror, in his eyes.

"Major Dwight's man," she answered, her blue eyes almost imploringly
fixed upon his face.

"_Dwight's_ man! But how, _how_, mother? Was there no word? Was it
wrapped, or----?"

"Just as you see it, Sandy. He merely said it had been picked up and
left at the house. He brought it here when he heard it was yours."

The tea stood untasted before him. He had not even taken his seat. Pale
to his lips, and with hands that trembled almost as did her own, Sandy
stood facing his mother, and Priscilla stepped quietly from the room.

"Did he say _who_ found it--and where?" he asked.

"He finally said it was--picked up _at_ Major Dwight's," was her answer,
and imploringly still the blue eyes searched his face, and for an
instant lighted with hope.

"But I never set foot at Major Dwight's--I've never been inside his
gates since I called there with you. The nearest I've been was the front
gate, and then, _this_ couldn't have been with me."

"Why, Sandy?"

"Because it was in the breast pocket of my khaki--the thing I wore when
we said good-night; but it seemed to grow chilly--or I did. I changed to
the blue coat before going out at twelve. Lucky, too, for I had to go
out front and help with some poor devils brought in from Skid's. I saw
your light when coming home over the parade and wondered if the row had
kept you awake."

"You--came in the _front_ way, Sandy?" And the blue eyes seemed to
implore him to stop, to reflect, to remember.

"Why, certainly, mother. I was afraid you'd hear me trying the front
door or hobbling round on the planks. What brought----Why, _mother_!"

With her heart almost stilled, with her hands on her breast, with a
blanched face and stricken eyes, Marion slowly found her feet, then
rested one hand upon the table before she could steady herself to speak:

"Sandy, think! Do you mean you were not--_there_ when the sentry No. 4
called; that you did not come hurrying home and stop there--at the back
gate?"

"Mother, dear, what can you mean? When I met you at the door I had just
come round from the front, from over near the guard-house. The officer
of the guard had his hands full and----Priscilla, quick!"

And Priscilla came at speed, and, after one swift look as they lifted
the drooping form to a sofa, whispered: "The doctor! Run!"

And though running was beyond him, Sandy limped in frantic haste, for
the mother's heart and health had seemed failing her for weeks, and thi