. Dupont, but as Vera Carson, years ago. She knew me at once,
and sent your driver over to the barracks with a note."

"Why, how strange. She asked me so many questions, I wondered at the
interest shown. Do you mind telling me what the note was about?"

"Not in the least. She referred to the past, and asked me to meet her."

"Were you--very intimate? Great friends?"

"We were engaged to be married," he acknowledged frankly, his eyes upon
her face. "That was at the breaking out of the war, and I was in my
senior college year. We met at school, and I was supposed to be the heir
to a large property. She is a beautiful woman now, and she was a
beautiful girl then. I thought her as good and true as she was charming.
Since then I have learned her selfishness and deceit, that it was my
money which attracted her, and that she really loved another man, a
classmate."

She glanced up at him as he paused, but he resumed the story without
being interrupted.

"The war came, and I enlisted at once, and received a commission. Almost
our entire class went, and the man she really loved was next below me in
rank."

"Eugene Le Fevre?"

"Yes; how did you know? Oh, I told you of him out there in the
sand-hills. Well, I urged her to marry me before I went to the front,
but she made excuses. Later, I understood the reason--she was uncertain
as to my inheriting the property of an uncle. We were ordered to the
Army of Northern Virginia. Once I went home on furlough, severely
wounded. We were to be married then, but I had not sufficiently
recovered when I was suddenly ordered back to the front. I did suspect
then, for the first time, that she was glad of the respite. I afterwards
discovered that during all this time she was in correspondence with Le
Fevre, who had been detailed on Early's staff. It was his influence
which brought about my sudden, unexpected recall to duty. A few months
later I was promoted major, and, at Fisher's Hill, found myself
commanding the regiment. Early in the action Le Fevre brought me an
order; it was delivered verbally, the only other party present a corporal
named Shultz, a German knowing little English. Early's exact words were:
'Advance at once across the creek, and engage the enemy fiercely; a
supporting column will move immediately.' Desperate as the duty involved
appeared, there was nothing in the order as given to arouse suspicion.
In obedience I flung my command forward, leading