eadquarters, he was informed that, as a reward for his
services and in recognition of his approaching convalescence, he was
ordered to return to his own climate and that an easy billet had been
found for him as a recruiting officer in New York City. Believing the
woman he loved to be in Europe, this plan for his comfort only
succeeded in bringing on a relapse. But the day following there came
another cablegram. It put an abrupt end to his mutiny, and brought him
and the War Department into complete accord.

"She is in New York," it read, "acting as agent for a charitable
institution, which one not known, but hope in a few days to cable
correct address."

In all the world there was no man so happy. The next morning a
transport was sailing, and, probably because they had read the
cablegram, the surgeons agreed with Lee that a sea voyage would do him
no harm. He was carried on board, and when the propellers first
churned the water and he knew he was moving toward her, the hero of the
fight around the crater shed unmanly tears. He would see her again,
hear her voice; the same great city would shelter them. It was worth a
dozen bullets.

He reached New York in a snow-storm, a week before Christmas, and went
straight to the office of his lawyers. They received him with
embarrassment. Six weeks before, on the very day they had cabled him
that Mrs. Stedman was in New York, she had left the charitable
institution where she had been employed, and had again disappeared.

Lee sent his trunks to the Army and Navy Club, which was immediately
around the corner from the recruiting office in Sixth Avenue, and began
discharging telegrams at every one who had ever known Frances Gardner.
The net result was discouraging. In the year and a half in which he
had been absent every friend of the girl he sought had temporarily
changed his place of residence or was permanently dead.

Meanwhile his arrival by the transport was announced in the afternoon
papers. At the wharf an admiring trooper had told a fine tale of his
conduct at the battle of the crater, and reporters called at the club
to see him. He did not discourage them, as he hoped through them the
fact of his return might be made known to Frances. She might send him
a line of welcome, and he would discover her whereabouts. But, though
many others sent him hearty greetings, from her there was no word.

On the second day after his arrival one of the telegrams was answered